The present invention relates to replenishers for cleaning compositions intended for use in cleaning aluminum surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aqueous replenisher which has good temperature stability characteristics to facilitate shipping and storage and which is well adapted to replenish a cleaning composition for cleaning aluminum surfaces.
During cold forming of aluminum an organic lubricant is generally applied to the aluminum surfaces to facilitate the forming operation. A residue of the lubricant remains on the surface after forming is completed and must be removed in a cleaning operation for some uses of the aluminum. A particularly useful cleaning composition for this purpose is that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,135, July 13, 1976, to King et al. In accordance with the King et al. patent, aluminum surfaces can be cleaned under low temperature conditions by an aqueous acidic cleaning composition containing a polyalkylene glycol-abietic acid surfactant and a polyalkylene glycol-hydrocarbon surfactant. The composition also preferably contains fluoride. Extended use of the King et al. composition in a working bath, however, requires replenishment of the active ingredients therein; and it has been found that under certain line conditions, a fixed ratio of surfactants to fluoride can be maintained by addition of a single package replenisher to the working solution where the replenisher comprises a concentrate of surfactants and fluoride. However, it has been found that a replenisher solution containing the surfactants of King et al. and fluoride are subject to phase separation under the temperature conditions likely to be encountered during shipping and storage. It would be desirable if a temperature stable concentrate replenisher could be provided which could be shipped and/or stored without phase separation and added to the working solution to replenish the low temperature aluminum cleaning composition of the King et al. patent.